| Queen's Park |
| Elgin City |
| 3 |
| 0 |
| (Weatherston 2, Dunn) |
| There at last. Queen's qualified for their first-ever play-offs by easily disposing of Elgin at Hampden in a game we took a grip of straight from the start. The players were clearly set on getting things done and dusted before a potentially nightmarish last day of the season, and were rarely in any danger from an Elgin team who played like it was the end of the season. Having said that, DC had to make a couple of early saves, including tipping a shot from Stephen around the post after Johnston's set-up. But Queen's kept Johnston quiet in the main, and it was our own top scorer, David Weatherston, who stole the show. Queen's had been threatening to score and they finally did after 28 minutes. Paul Cairney lobbed a lovely pass to find Mark Ferry hovering inside the box, and when he laid the ball to his left Davie did the rest. 1-0. It took us 9 minutes to extend that lead- and in absolutely sublime fashion. Frankie Carroll, making his first start since August, held the ball up superbly inside his own half, and played the ball off to Mark Ferry running through the middle. Some fans were disgruntled that Frankie failed to spot a free Queen's jersey on the left, but he had done the right thing; Mark moved forward, slid the ball forward for Weatherston, and the blond striker went on from there and slotted the ball home with complete coolness. One of the most impressive features of Weatherston's play is how he can finish these one-on-one chances so casually and so frequently; how many other players can do that? Queen's completed the scoring just prior to the half-time whistle. Following a corner, the ball was floated back into the box, and Robert Dunn stooped to get a touch on the ball and divert it over the line for his second goal of the season. 2 in 4 games for him, too. The game was won, and we could enjoy the fact that Dumbarton were winning 4-0 yet would have nothing to show for it. Also that East Fife were losing 3-1 to Albion Rovers, a score that would remain the same during the second half and so allow Queen's to move back up to 3rd place. For the second half, two obvious targets were a third goal for David Weatherston and a strike from Frankie Carroll, but neither materialised,. as Queen's seemed to play well within themselves. Billy Stark gave young Alan Harty a debut in midfield, and brought off David Weatherston to a hero's welcome before the referee called time. Young Ross Dunlop (another Dunlop- looks like the end of Third Division defences as we know them) came on for his debut, and almost immediately sent a header just over the top. So it now looks like Arbroath for Queen's in the play-offs, provided we beat Dumbarton next Saturday, and if it is, then the hope must be that they will still be suffering the after-effects of losing out on the championship to Berwick yesterday. Both games will be excruciatingly tight, and it will take the cool flair of a Weatherston or Trouten (who we hope will be back and fit) to swing the tie in Queen's direction. The same will apply if it's Stranraer that we draw. Given that we'll be at home in the first leg (though where is still in question), we must surely take some sort of lead to either of these two testing away venues. Whatever happens, be prepared for the most exciting weeks of your life coming right up. Queen's Park: David Crawford, Paul Paton, Mick Dunlop, Steven Reilly (Alan Harty 62), Damiano Agostini, Steven Canning, Stuart Kettlewell, Paul Cairney, Robert Dunn (Richard Bowers 70), David Weatherston (Ross Dunlop 86), Frankie Carroll. Substitutes not used: Adam Boslem, Mark Cairns. Goals: Weatherston 28, 37, Dunn 45. Elgin City: Charlie Fox, Craig Campbell (Martin Charlesworth 80), Allan Demspie, David Hind, Paul Kaczan, David Niven, Neal Hooks, Darren Docherty (Adam Nelson 47), Martin Johnston, Barrie Stephen (Chris Finnegan 68), Steven Mackay. Substitutes not used: Chris Gardiner, Keiron Renton. Booked: Campbell. Referee: Martin Sproule. Attendance: 916. |